Maryland and D.C. Home Improvement and Home Inspection discussion and Repair Advice

Baltimore, MD: At EFynch , we are doing out best to give all homeowners and homebuyers the tools to properly locate, and research the contractors they want to hire*. Too many other sources online only give you the "advertised choice", and asking for a recommendation on neighborhood websites does not guarantee you are getting non-biased results (a growing problem). However, even with the toughest verification procedures, you can find online, there is still the chance that a hired Pro or Handyman may not meet your expectations. Problems happen, humans are humans, and sometimes things just don't "click". So, here is our advice when something goes wrong: Step 1: Document and mention the issue to the contractor/ handyman as soon as possible. In addition to carpentry skills, a home improvement project is equal parts logistics and identifying any issue that must be remedied as early as possible will help. ----- SIDE NOTE ----- *If handled properly, clearl...

Making sure you get a fair deal and keep your TV Protected: When there is a wide price gap for services- how do you insure a proper deal.   (The "skinny" on discount installers vs retail) Baltimore, MD: Having a TV mounted can be stressful. You just spent the better part of a paycheck on a new device and now it begs to be mounted, admired. . . hanging from a wall. . .  and ofcourse "staying there"! But you read online that the job can be easy however, after a few holes you decide to hire a pro. Anyone who has ever gone through this process knows a few things. 1. The actual mounts are ridiculously expensive. $80 for a piece of metal! 2. Install prices are all over the place, but why? (*see price list at bottom of article) Not getting into the mounting prices too much , they are connected to the price of installs in certain circumstances.  The only important part: a good single tilt mount should not be more than $40- anything over is marked up. Now, ...

Late Spring Freeze: The Handyman and Homeowner Guide to Protecting Outdoor Landscaping in Maryland. What the homeowner should do with a late Spring Freeze/ Frost.   Baltimore, MD: Tonight (April 7th, 2017) and into Saturday morning, forecasters are calling for freezing temperatures possible throughout Central Maryland*. With the warm weather the past few days, many of us in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. have already begun outdoors landscaping for Spring. With a semi-rare Freeze Watch in place, there are a few measures that homeowners should take to help plants survive. The issue with a cold freeze and some plants is the inability for vegetable and flowers to withstand freezing water on a cellular level. As we know, when water freezes it expands and can break the sensitive cell structures. For certain plants, this is irreparable damage. Here is a quick reference on what you can do to prevent damage: 1: Sensitive plants in pots: Bring indoors. 2. Sensitive plants...

Hey Fynches ! Here in Baltimore/ Washington we are expecting an old fashion Nor’Easter on Tuesday with accumulations upwards of 12”.  We are not one to panic BUT, a snow this late in winter typically is WET and HEAVY. Forecasters are also expecting strong winds and potential for structural damage, downed trees, and power outages will be present. Below are some tips that we recommend every homeowner take before Tuesday. Before the storm, we recommend you do the following:         - Inspect the underside of your roof (check attic): Any damage or signs of leaking should be treated as an emergency and repaired immediately. Do a visual inspection outside: Gutters, deck, etc.         - Organize shovels and winter clothing: If you power goes out- sleeping bags, and blankets by the fireplace are key.         - Cooking: Lighters, bbq grill or camp stove (with full tank of fuel) are useful if power g...

CLEARING YOUR HOME’S SIDEWALK: Does Salt really hurt? By EFynch, homeowner advice Baltimore, MD- Does salt really hurt the concrete around your home? The short answer, yes. The old fashioned rock salt is cheap and plentiful but in most cases can damage your concrete driveway, patio and sidewalk. Concrete is porous and when salt is applied it can be absorbed, freezes, etc.- causing flaking and cracking. If the concrete was done properly, the chances of this happening are reduced however in our estimation (based on gut feelings and not facts), 90% of the concrete that we see may be subject to salt degradation! There are also cases where too much salt can be applied to correctly cured concrete so therefore no sidewalk is immune- we recommend avoiding rock salt in any case where concrete (or pets) are present. As an alternative, you want to find a product which contains Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Chloride or (the more expensive) Glycols as the main ingredient. There are...

“*If water can move mountains, imagine what it can do to your house!” Synopsis: - Gutters are more important than you may know. - Neglected gutters can cause mold and other expensive repairs. - Gutter damage can go unnoticed and should be inspected twice         a year (minimum). - Gutters required your attention and most probably neglect. O ver the summer one of EFynch’s first projects was helping a member install gutter guards  ( we made a video about it here! ). As a former solar installer I have a familiarity with gutters but never really knew the full function they provide, and why it is so incredibly important to maintain them. Because gutters are typically ignored until they leak, we often forget to maintain and have them inspected regularly. This is VERY important and can literally save the structural integrity of your home while protecting your health. First, you should know what your gutters do. Gutters do more than cat...